Felbamate, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antiseizure

Generic and brand names: felbamate, oral; Felbatol

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat seizures.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• blood cell diseases such as anemia
• liver or kidney disease.

Females of childbearing age: Talk with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. Do not take more or less or take it longer than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. Suddenly stopping could cause your seizures to become more frequent or severe.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe other medicines to be taken with this one. Be sure you know the dosage schedule for all medicines prescribed for you, and follow directions carefully.

What if I overdose?

If you or anyone else has intentionally taken too much of this medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency room right away. If you pass out, have seizures, weakness or confusion, or have trouble breathing, call 911. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. The poison control center number is 800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an acute overdose may include: nausea, vomiting, fast heartbeat, drowsiness.

What should I watch out for?

You will need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have yellowing of your skin or eyes or pain in your abdomen. These may be signs of liver damage.

Antiseizure medicines may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some people. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have new or increased thoughts of suicide.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun and may cause you to sunburn more easily. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. While you are in the sun, wear protective clothing and sunscreen lotion until you know how you will react to the sun. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

You may feel dizzy or faint when you get up quickly after sitting or lying down. Getting up slowly may help. Also, drinking alcohol may make it worse. Do not drink alcohol unless you healthcare provider approves.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): A severe skin rash; peeling skin; unusual bruising or bleeding; sore throat, fever, chills; yellowing of your skin or eyes; pain in your abdomen; blood in the urine; unusual tiredness or weakness; irregular heartbeat.

Other: Fatigue, trouble sleeping, headache, anxiety, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, confusion, dizziness, change in sense of taste, change in vision, shakiness, dry mouth, facial swelling, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), and valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote).
• hormone-based birth control such as pills, implants, shots, patches, or rings
• herbal products such as St. John's wort, evening primrose oil, chaparral, comfrey, and coltsfoot
• narcotics such as codeine, morphine, meperidine (Demerol), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and oxycodone (Roxicodone, OxyContin)

Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.